Steam-trap.



W. A. KITTS, SR.

STEAM TRAP.

APPUCATION HILED MAY 13. 1914.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

ATTORNEY.

WILLARD A. KITTS, SR, OF OSWEGO, NEW YORK.

STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 11, 1916.

Application filed May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,359.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lViLLann A. Kir'rs, Six, of Oswego, in the county of Oswego, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Traps, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in steam traps for removing water of condensation from steam-distributing systems without waste of steam or in any way retarding its free flow through such system.

The main object is to increase the general efliciency of this type of traps by reducing the liability of deterioration of the various parts thereof and permitting such parts as are liable to become worn or impaired by use to be easily and quickly replaced without removing the trap from its connections or disturbing the parts of the main body or mechanisms inclosed therein.

Another object is to reduce the number of joints and to make those which are necsary more secure against leakage of steam or water of condensation.

Another object is to secure a construction that will positively insure the water of condensation flowing directly into the open bucket before overflowing into the body of the trap, the open bucket thus acting as a catcher and retainer of the coarse scale and sediment that otherwise might be drawn up and become lodged between the valve disk and the valve seat.

Another object is to secure av form of'con struction that will allow the inlet and outlet piping to be diametrically opposite each other in the trap body and below the flange joint so that the expansion and contraction of the inlet and outlet piping can in no way effect the flange joint and start a leak, and at the same time insure the water of condensation entering the open bucket as noted above.

Heretofore to secure the flow of the water of condensation into the open bucket it has been necesary to have the inlet pipe enter either the cover of the trap with the resulting tendency to start the flange joint leaking due to the expansion and contraction,

and the necessity, of unjointing the inlet pipe whenever the trap cover is removed, or else enter the body of the trap at an angle to the outlet, which construction has proved objectionable to steam engineers. It has been found with other constructions, that when the inlet and outlet piping are diametrically opposite each other, as preferred by steam engineers, that the flowing water striking the interior working parts of the trap is deflected to the sides of the trap and there is no assurance of the bucket being at all times full of water, owing to the whirling motion set up.

By placing the interior working parts of this steam trap, levers, counterweight, and open bucket in a line diagonal with the line of the inlet and outlet piping and covering a diagonal passage in the cover from the point when the valve case is screwed into the cover, to the downward passage through the flanges to the outlet, I have a construction that allows the inlet and outlet piping to be diametricallyopposite each other with no obstruction to the flow of water directly into the bucket.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the trap will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved steam trap. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the same trap taken on line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is 'a' still further enlarged sectional View of the upper portion of one side of the trap containing the valve mechanism taken on line 3 3, F ig. 1. Fig. 4c is a horizontal sectional view through the upper portion of the trap in the plane of the inlet and outlet openings.

This trap comprises a one-piece cylindrical shell 1 preferably of cast metal open at the top, which is normally closed by a one-piece cover 2 of the same metal secured in place by bolts 3 or equivalent fastening means with interposed packing a to make a steam and liquid-tight joint, the upper end of the shell which receives the bolts being flanged outwardly so that the bolts are always accessible for tightening or loosening as may be necessary.

Directly underneath the flange on the upper end of the shell are integral hollow bosses -5 and 6 constituting respectively an inlet and outlet for water of condensation, the outer ends of the bosses being threaded internally for receiving suitable pipe connections, the one leading from the inlet being connected to the steam distributing system from which the water of condensation is to be removed, while the one leading from the outlet '6 may be connected to any waste pipe or to a' reservoir when it is desired to re-use the drainage W ra The lower end of the trap is provided with normally plugged blow-out holes-7 through which steam or other cleansing fluid may-be blown'for cleaning the trap by siniply removing the plugs.

The cover or top plate 2 is provided near one side with an integral hollow boss -S rising therefrom and threaded internally for receiving a hollow screw-cap 9 closed at its upper end to exclude foreign matter from the interior of the trap and at the same time serving to partly inclose a valve case 10 and permit access thereto whenever it is desired to renew or repair the valve or valve seat without removing the cover 2- or otherwise disturbing the trap from its connections to the steam-heating system or drainage pipe. The raised boss .8 also has aninterior chamber 11 which is connected by a by-pass 12 to a registering by-pass 13 leading to the outlet port -6, the portions of the cover 2 and shell 1 in which the registering by-passes 12 and 13- are formed being integral with their respective parts so as to avoid extra joints and thereby reduce the liability of leakage.

The perimeter of the external portion of the cap 9 is angular (preferably hexagonal) to permit the use of a suitable wrench in placing it in operative position or removing it from the cap.

The valve case 10- is preferably made of brass or bronze to reduce the liability of corrosion and its lower end is reduced, threaded and screwed into a threaded socket 1-t-in the cover -2 coaxial with the screw-cap -9, said valve case being extended from the bottom across the chamber '11 some distance into the interior of the screw-cap 9 and is provided with a central lengthwise opening therethrough for the passage of the out-flowing water of condensation. The upper end of the valve case is threaded internally and engaged by a hollow screw bushing 15 also of brass or bronze and provided in its lower end with a valve seat 16 adapted to be engaged by a valve l7 shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

The upper end of the valve 17 is preferably conical to tightly fit against its seat when closed and is provided in its lower end with a socket for receiving the upper end of its operating rod -18, said valve and rod being provided with diametrically registering openings for receiving a key or pin 19 by which they are detachably connected to each other, the pin being loosely fitted in its openings to permit the valve to be easily and quickly removed when necessary for repairs or renewal by simply unscrewing the cap 9 and casing 10, which latter, it will be observed, protrudes through and slightly above the boss 8 where it is easily accessible for the application of a wrench thereto, the perimeter of the valve case being also angular (as hexagonal in cross section) for receiving a corresponding wrench.

It will also be observed that by making the valve seat on the lower end of the bushing 15, said bushing may also be removed and renewed or. repaired without disturbing the valve case or valve or, if the valve only is to be replaced, the bushing may be removed with the valve case, thus permit ting access to the valve for renewal or repair without displacing the valve rod.

The lower end of the socket 1l into which the valve case is secured is reduced in diameter and threaded internally for receiving the upper threaded end of an up-flow drainage pipe 20 coaxial with the valve case and extending downwardly some distance into the main body of the trap or shell 1 near one side thereof and to a point near the bottom.

The valve rod 18- extends downwardly through the tube -20 below the lower end thereof and is pivoted to a lever --2l which in turn is fulcrumed at the outside of its connection with the rod 1S to a bracket -Q2 on the lower end of the pipe -20, the opposite end of said lever being pivotally connected to the lower end of a weighted upright bar -Q3. The upper end of this weighted bar is pivotally connected to a somewhat shorter lever 2l fulcrumed intermediate its ends to a lug 25 on the underside of the cover 2-, its other end being pivotally connected to a float rod 26 carrying a hollow cup-shaped float -27 of metal or equivalent material, said rod 26 passing centrally through the float and secured to the bottom thereof.

The weighted link 23 connecting the lever 21- with the lever 24: serves in combination with the float and levers to-control the opening and closing of the valve l6 through the medium of the valve rod 18, these parts being so arranged that the weight of the link -23 will counteract that of the empty float to open the valve.

The inner endof the tubular inlet 5- overhangs the upper end of the adjacent side of the float to allow the water of condensation to flow directly into said float and to overflow into the main receptacle 1 of the trap.

The size of the bucket or float 27 is such that when filled with water of condensation, its weight will overbalance that of the weight 23 and automatically close the valve -1(5, in which position it will remain until the overflow in the receptacle l reaches a predetermined level of say two-thirds the height of the float whereupon the filled float or bucket will be buoyed upwardly tending to open the valve 23 to allow any further accumulation of water of condensation to escape from the trap through the open valve and outwardly through the by-passes 12 and 13 and out-let 6 as produced by the pres sure of the steam in the distributing system to which the inlet is connected or by the weight of the column of water of condensation flowing from such system into the trap, it being understood that this trap is usually located some distance below the portion of the system which it is desired to drain of water of condensation. It is now clear that when the water reaches the predetermined level referred to, the filled bucket is substantially balanced, thereby slightly opening the valve while any excess quantity of water in the trap will cause a further elevation of the bucket and consequent greater opening of the valve to allow the escape of the excess water from the trap. On the other hand, if the water should fall below such predetermined level, the'weight of the filled bucket would close the valve and cut oil the further escape of the water until the normal level. was restored. In this manner, the operation of the trap becomes entirely automatic and owing to the fact that the bucket 27- is made of metal, it is evident that the life of the apparatus will be greatly prolonged, thereby assuring greater efliciency and permanency.

In order that the valve-operating mechanism including the float may move with greater freedom without liability of becoming air bound, the cover 2 is provided with an air vent in which is secured an airvalve 28 for regulating the escape of air from the interior of the trap when necessary.

It will be observed that all of the moving parts and also the tube 20 and valve case 10 are mounted upon or supported wholly by the removable top or cover 2 of the trap which permits all of those parts to be assembled in proper relation on the head or cover 2 and inserted as a unit into the main receptacle 1 and that when the head or cover 2 is once clamped in place to the main body, it is unnecessary to disturb it when it is desired to renew or repair the valves or valve seat since such renewals or repairs can be made by simply removing the screw cap 9 and valve case -10- whereupon the bushing 15- which forms the valve-seat may also be removed from the valve case and replaced or repaired without disturbing any of the parts of the trap.

What I claim is:

1. In a steam trap, a main receptacle having an inlet and an outlet, a cover for the main receptacle having a valve chamber communicating with the outlet, said cover having vertically alined openings through the lower and upper walls of the valve chamber, a cap for the upper opening screwed upon the cover, a valve case screwed into the lower opening and extending upwardly into the upper opening, a bushing screwed into the upper end of the valve case and provided with a passage therethrough communicating with the valve chamber, said bushing having its lower end provided with a valve seat, a valve cooperating with the seat to control the outflow of the water of condensation, a valve rod detachably connected to the valve and extending into the interior of the main receptacle, a lever tulcruined on the underside of the cover, a float-bucket supported by the lever with one side thereof under the inlet to allow the water of condensation to flow thereinto, and connections between the lever and valve rod for operating the valve.

2. In a steam trap, a main flanged receptacle having an inlet and outlet diametrically opposite each other, directly under the flange, a cover therefor, provided with an integral hollow boss placed on a line diagonal with the line of the inlet and outlet connections to the trap and a passage from said integral hollow boss cored in the cover diagonally back to and meeting the diametrical line of the inlet and outlet connections and then downward through the flange to the outlet connection, a hollow screw cap screwing into said integral hollow boss; a lever fulcrumed on the cover, a float-bucket carried by the lever in such position as to receive the inflowing water from the inlet, a valve COIltl'OlllHg the flow of water from the interior of the receptacle to the outlet, :1 weighted member connected to said lever to counterbalance the float bucket, a separate lever connected to the weighted member, and avalve rod connecting the separate lever to the valve.

3. In a steam trap, a main flanged receptacle having an inlet and outlet diametrically opposite each other and directly under the flange, a cover therefor, provided with an integral hollow boss placed on a line diagonal with the line of the inlet and outlet connections to the trap and a passage from said integral hollow boss cored in the cover diagonally back to and meeting the diametrical line of the inlet and outlet connections and then downward through the flange to the outlet connection, a hollow screw cap screwing into said integral hollow boss, a lover fulcrumed on the cover, on the same diametrical line as the hollow integral boss and diagonally with the line of the inlet and outlet ports, and a, float-bucket carried by valve rod connecting the separate lever to the lever in such posltlon as to rece1ve the the valve. 10

infiowing Water from the inlet, a valve con- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my trolling the flow of Water from the interior hand this ninth (9) clay of May, 1914:.

of thereceptacle to the outlet, a weighted lVILLAR-D A. KITTS, SR. member connected to said lever to counter- Vitnesses:

balance the float-bucket, a separate lever H. E. CHASE,

connected to the Weighted member, and a HOWARD P. DENISOJ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 1 

